


Ocean Eyes and Lunar Skies

by CosmicCrossing



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Basically a first everything for Glads who has no experience whatsoever lol, Eventual Romance, First Date, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Future Days AU, Gladion and the gang getting into silly shenanigans, Gladion comes to terms that he has a crush on two people at once, Gladion pines for both of them SO HARD, Hau and Moon wait patiently for him to realize, I've dubbed their ship name it's official now, It's a time lapse so they all age from like 13-20ish, Morninggloryshipping - Freeform, Most of this is from Gladion's POV so there isn't as MUCH Malasadashipping but. Yeah, Multi, OT3, THERE AREN'T ENOUGH GLADION/MOON/HAU FICS SO HERE I AM, The Lillie/Sun ship is more of a background thing btw, lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-12 21:20:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12968646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CosmicCrossing/pseuds/CosmicCrossing
Summary: When it comes to firsts, Moon and Hau definitely make a lot for him—Lillie regards him with shock, yet there is a glimmer of understanding in her eyes.“You like Moon...andHau?”—having a crush on both of them at once, though, is probably the biggest first.





	1. First Friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we are...I fell in love with this ship so freaking fast, man, and it saddens me that there's hardly any content for the three of them, so! I decided I'd take it upon myself to write a fantastic multi-chaptered fic where Gladion slowly comes to terms with his feelings for his best friends and realizes those feelings aren't entirely platonic haha
> 
> Also I looked literally EVERYWHERE for the official ship name for the three of them--Sun, Gladion and Hau have one, but not these three, so I decided to dub their ship name as Morninggloryshipping since morning glories are flowers (Gladion) that bloom at night (Moon) in tropical regions (Hau). Apparently the ship name was already taken by Dawn and Gardenia but I don't see any content for those two so I'm stealing it for the Alot3 because it fits better haha
> 
> Alright, that's all for now! I hope you enjoy! Please be sure to R&R ^^
> 
> EDIT: LMAO I typoed the summary I don't even know HOW I missed that but. It's fixed now. It's all good yo

The first time Moon refers to Gladion as her friend is after she becomes Champion.  
  
It comes as a very unexpected thing that leaves his insides warm hours after she departs from the Aether Foundation. And she’d insisted upon it, too, squashing his protests flat with earnest shakes of her head and determined dark eyes. It’s impossible to win arguments against her when she looks that determined, so he gives in with a slump of his shoulders and a shy glance to the side, fidgeting with the holes in his sleeves.  
  
When the news was revealed that Moon had successfully claimed her championship title he honestly wasn’t shocked in the least. After their battle right before she’d headed up to the League, he could tell then that she’d make it to the top, with the strength of her team and the unbelievable power she wielded. He’d said to her then, “I know we aren’t friends,” because he hadn’t considered them to be—he’d never really had friends before anyway, and family didn’t count as friends, not really. Perhaps Silvally could stand in that position, but friendship between Pokemon and humans is different; even he knows this. Gladion was never sure what it meant to have companionship, or if whatever he shared with Moon could count as one. He wouldn’t dare hope for it, anyway. She deserves better than some runaway kid with a bad history and unstable family as a friend.  
  
Moon had a strange look on her face when he’d continued with, “But we aren’t enemies anymore either.” And maybe that had set things in stone for their encounter afterwards at Aether, because she comes flying in on her Toucannon, eyes bright with victory and her Mimikyu perched on her shoulder as usual. According to Wicke she’d raced all over the labs to find him brushing Silvally up in the conservation area. He startles when she arrives breathless on the scene, but no less confident than usual as she strolls over towards him.  
  
“Hey,” she says, grinning. Her smile is brilliant and she seems happier than she ever has before, and to say it’s contagious is an understatement. Gladion can’t help but smile back, just a little.  
  
“Hey.”  
  
She stops right before him and reaches out to scratch Silvally under its chin. Gladion marvels at how easily his partner leans in to her touch, when it usually recoils from everyone else. Maybe since evolving its learned to be more trusting towards humans.  
  
Gladion swallows and scuffs his shoes against the bleached white pathway, avoiding her gaze.  
  
“Congrats,” he finally manages to say, keeping a stern watch on the horizon. The stars are glittering in the twilight, the moon beginning to rise.  
  
Moon tilts her head to the side, her Mimikyu chirping from her shoulder.  
  
“On becoming champion,” he clarifies, finally turning to face her with a slight smirk. “Though I’m not too surprised.”  
  
The grin he receives in return is absolutely dazzling and does something weird to his insides. Then again he isn’t used to people smiling at him, and definitely not with their entire face.  
  
“Thank you! We worked really hard, didn’t we, Mimmy?”  
  
Mimyr gives an affirmed cry in response, its shadowy claws peeking out to play with Moon’s hair.  
  
“You deserve it,” he murmurs, and her face softens before he clears his throat and prepares to trudge on. Arceus, he’s never been good with words, and saying this is more difficult than he initially thought.  
  
“I also wanted to thank you for...for what you did for my sister. You and Sun, that is,” he mumbles, feeling an uncertain spark at the mention of the black-haired trainer who had grown especially close with Lillie over the course of their journey. Nevertheless, he continues, “I didn’t know that she could smile like that...hell, I didn’t even know what my mother was up to since I’ve been gone for two years. Guess you miss out on a lot when you’re running away from the truth.”  
  
It comes out bitter, sad, and Moon reaches out to touch him but he withdraws. Silvally nudges his arm, reminding him of his rudeness, and he forces himself to relax. Right, Gladion, this is supposed to be an expression of gratitude, not anger.  
  
“My mother...I think I know why she so desperately wanted to reach Nihilego,” he whispers, eyes uncertainly trailing over Moon’s face. “When Lillie and I were younger, just children, our father discovered an Ultra Wormhole and disappeared through it. She was distraught after that...losing the person she loved must have been hard for her. Of course, we were too young to understand at the time, but...”  
  
“I’m sorry,” Moon bites her lip, sadness swimming in her eyes, and Gladion wonders how much she sympathizes. Maybe her father has disappeared somewhere, too. He can’t be sure.  
  
He shakes his head, looking distant. “I don’t remember too much of our father, if I’m being honest. I was young, Lillie even more so. But mom, she...I think she tried to reach whatever was left of him through her research of the Ultra Beasts. After he disappeared, all that was left was Cosmog and his papers about Nihilego. She threw herself into finding out more about the other dimension, any sort of clues...”  
  
Moon nodded in quiet agreement. “It was all she could do.”  
  
“It’s not an excuse,” Gladion snapped. “She could have handled it better, instead of taking all of her pain and bottling it up. She could have been a better mother to us, and a better president to the foundation, a better boss to Wicke and everyone else who works here...but that’s not the point. What I’m trying to say is—” He takes a deep breath and then exhales softly.  
  
“Look, I know I can’t even begin to apologize for dragging you into this mess. You had absolutely nothing to do with it, and you were forcibly involved anyway. This definitely won’t make up for it, but...here. I hope you’ll take it,” and he withdraws a Pokeball from his pocket and hands it to her.  
  
Silvally leans over to give it a sniff, and its tail begins to wave back in forth in excitement. Even inside the ball it can scent one of its brothers from the lab experiments.  
  
“This is—?”  
  
“Type: Null. Obviously it’s not the same one as mine,” Gladion explains, giving Silvally an affectionate pat. “It was kept in Secret Lab A. I don’t know if you’re aware, but there were three of them in the experiment to figure out how to kill Ultra Beasts. This one was frozen for a couple years, but it’s awake now. When I came back to the Foundation, I asked Wicke if I could take the remaining two out of their cryogenic freezer. They don’t deserve to be trapped in there for crimes that weren’t even their fault,” he finishes softly.  
  
Moon’s lip trembles, and she looks up at him, hesitant. “And...you want me to take care of one?”  
  
“I can trust you.” Gladion admits, a bit shy. “I know you well enough...you’re a good Trainer. You’ll show it the world, won’t you?”  
  
She nods fervently, a smile gracing her face. “Of course I will! It’s in good hands, I promise. Gladion...thank you. Really.”  
  
He chuckles, shaking his head fondly at her. “Why are you thanking me? I should be the one thanking you after all you’ve done.”  
  
Moon laughs in response, and it sounds like the chiming of bells. “Well, that’s what friends are for, right?”  
  
His breath whooshes out at this statement, his mouth going dry. Moon doesn’t seem to notice, instead moving to chatter excitedly to Silvally and Mimikyu about her newest team member.  
  
Friends? Moon...considers them to be friends? Since when had they passed the point of acquaintanceship and wandered into the realm of real companionship? He’d told her before, that they weren’t—but maybe that’s because he was too afraid to ask her if they were, in fear that she’d say no. But she said it first this time.  
  
She catches his eye and immediately seems to detect his uneasiness. “What’s up?”  
  
Gladion’s palms feel sweaty. Is that normal?  
  
“You think...we’re friends?”  
  
Something strange flashes in Moon’s eyes, but it’s gone before he can properly get a grasp on it.  
  
“Well, yeah. After all we’ve been through? Of course we are!” She pauses, shifting her weight between her feet. “Unless...you don’t want t—”   
  
“No, it’s not that!” He cuts her off frantically. “It’s just—after everything, after all the trouble and pain I’ve caused y—”   
  
“Nuh-uh,” this time it’s Moon’s turn to interrupt, her expression fierce. “Don’t even pull that “it’s all my fault” crap. It wasn’t. Trust me. Sure, you’re guilty of a few things, but who isn’t? You have to learn to forgive and forget, Gladion. I already have.” She smiles cheekily at him. “That’s what friends do. We’re friends. No ifs, ands or buts about it, mister!”  
  
Gladion isn’t really sure how to respond to that, so he kind of just stands there and gapes like a total idiot while Silvally releases an amused snort at his side. Great, now his Pokemon is trying to be sassy, too.  
  
“Well, as much as I enjoy your company...” Something pleasant flutters in his stomach again—what is he, a damn nest for Butterfree? “I actually do have to get going. I was on my way home to see my mom, but I figured I’d stop by here first. And I’m happy I did!”  
  
As she prepares to bid him farewell, he reaches out and catches her wrist. Heat settles in his cheekbones and he takes a moment to gather himself, gulping nervously.  
  
“T-take care of Null,” he squeaks. “And I’m...I’m going to become stronger. And see more of Alola. Starting with the Pokemon League.” He composes himself enough to shoot her a cocky grin. “I hear Alola’s got a real strong champion.”  
  
Moon practically beams at him, almost ready to burst with giggles.  
  
After she leaves he sits up on the deck for a while, absentmindedly stroking Silvally’s fur, which shines silver in the moonlight. His entire body feels fuzzy and warm, like he’d just taken a hot bath or swallowed a good meal, and the feeling doesn’t go away. He has someone he can call a friend now...the idea itself is a bit pathetic from an outsider’s standpoint, but to him it means the world and more, especially since it’s coming from the girl who pulled him out of the darkness and into the light of Alola’s warm sun. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there's the first chapter, eeee! I hope you all liked it!  
> I know it was mostly a recap regarding the end of Sun and Moon, but I actually really liked that dialogue and wanted to expand on it a bit more, so...
> 
> I'm going with my Pokemon team from Moon for Moon's party, so yeah she has a Mimikyu :0 Sorry if that bothers you haha I have to give her SOME Pokemon lol  
> So yeah, in this fic Hau has Primarina, Moon has Decidueye and Sun has Incineroar! The events of the games were split between Sun and Moon, who both went on the journey around Alola together and both helped Lillie and Gladion along the way. ^^
> 
> Uhh idk when the next chapter will be up? I have finals this week so I'll be pretty busy but if it's wanted enough I'll try to make time to post it!
> 
> Alright, until next time, kiddies!


	2. First Malasada

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are, back for chapter two! Thanks for all of your wonderful and amazing support so far, I really appreciate it ^^
> 
> Finals are over at last and I'm officially on winter break now which means I'll have more time to work on this story, hooray! I really want to get the Christmas chapter posted the day of so let's see if I can do it...
> 
> I don't really have that much to say this time so, uh, I hope you enjoy! *finger guns*

The first time Gladion ever has a malasada is when Hau takes him to a restaurant in Hau’oli City to try some.  
  
When you’re on the run from your psychotic mother and working for Team Skull, 1. You aren’t really welcomed in classy restaurants due to your bad reputation and 2. You barely have enough money to stay at the motel on Route 8 as it is, so splurging extra for treats (even though Null definitely deserves them) is ill-advised. Which is why he’d never had the chance to actually go to one of the many malasada shops in Alola, and the moment Hau found out he’d never tried one the boy had nearly flipped his lid.   
  
Gladion rarely ever sees Hau get riled up about something, so seeing him like this is sort of a shock. And a bit refreshing, to be honest, because it turns out that Hau has a weak spot after all—and apparently that weak spot concerns malasadas and consumption of said food. How or why anybody would get so frazzled about some island treats is beyond him, but Hau is clearly a connoisseur when it comes to these things. Arguing with him at this point is pretty fruitless.   
  
So now they’re here, walking down the populated streets of Hau’oli. Hau is practically buzzing with excitement, and Gladion has to take a second to ask himself how he even wound up in this situation in the first place.   
  
Even with the facts (Hau had dropped by the Foundation for a visit, proceeded to ramble on about his progress in training, and finished up with mentioning malasadas with a mouthful of drool—which lead to Gladion offhandedly mentioning he’d never tried any, and Hau had practically dragged him out onto the ship after that) he still wonders why it is that he can be so easily persuaded by Hau to do things. Normally Gladion is a very stubborn person with a tendency to avoid social gatherings and basic human interaction—he was more inclined to do so when he was a child, of course, however things have changed since then—but for some bizarre reason Hau is able to break down his walls and get him to do things he’d normally never ever consider.   
  
“There it is, there it is!” Hau practically squeals with delight as he points out the brightly colored building towards the end of the block, where people and Pokemon sit out in the sun enjoying Alola’s most famous dessert.   
  
“Hooray,” Gladion mumbles sarcastically, yelping when Hau grabs his arm and hightails it down the street. Geez, how Moon manages to keep up with him so well is something he’ll never know.   
  
They burst through the doors and nearly startle everyone inside, and at this point Gladion is considering claiming that Hau is insane and that he’s not associated with him whatsoever before returning home. They haven’t even sat down to eat and he’s already exhausted; Hau’s endless energy can be really tiring at times if he’s not in the mood to deal with it. And seeing as he had no warning whatsoever about their little excursion today, yeah, he didn’t have much time to prepare himself for an afternoon with the green-haired trainer.   
  
“Table for two, please! Oh—and two Pokemon!” Hau adds, shooting a charming smile at the waitress. She chuckles and leads them to a secluded booth in the corner, which sits up on a platform and has more than enough room for any Pokemon companions they plan to share their meal with.   
  
Hau slides into the booth and releases his Raichu, who immediately sparks warningly at Gladion before realizing it hasn’t been called out for a battle. Upon detecting the familiar powdery scent of malasadas, Raichu cries out excitedly and floats over to sit on the edge of the platform. Gladion stands awkwardly at the bottom, shuffling his shoes.   
  
“Well, come on!” Hau gestures him forward with a beckon of his hand, that blindingly bright grin a permanent fixture on his face. “There’s enough room up here, don’t be shy.”   
  
Gladion scowls at him before stepping up and taking a seat, refusing to meet Hau’s eyes as he crosses his arms.   
  
Hau pushes a menu over to him before flipping his own open, eyes lighting up at the newest additions to the restaurant.   
  
“You can let Silvally out too, you know,” he says without even looking up from the page. “Don’t worry about paying, by the way. It’s on me!”   
  
Even Gladion knows that having Hau handle the bill is too much. He’s back home now, which means he’s been granted an allowance once again, and he hates feeling like he isn’t responsible enough to handle his own meals.   
  
“N-no, it’s—it’s fine, I can pay my own way—”   
  
“Gladion,” Hau looks straight at him this time. There is something shining in his eyes, determination maybe? “It’s cool, dude. I can handle it. I’m the one that dragged you all the way out here, anyway.”   
  
For some reason he can’t find it in himself to argue against that. Maybe it’s because he knows this is Hau’s way for making it up to him.   
  
Something twists in his gut and he frowns. Is Hau still blaming himself for being too weak to help Lillie when she needed it most? Is that why he keeps pushing himself to become stronger, as a way of atonement? The idea makes his skin crawl. Hau honestly couldn’t expect himself to be able to stand up to Team Skull at that time, they were more experienced and he’s only a kid. Sure, his team is powerful, but still...   
  
Gladion is positive that if Hau faced up against Team Skull now he’d squash them flat. Perhaps that defeat helped him become stronger, fueled him to keep moving forward and set a goal for himself.   
  
“So! What looks good, Gladion? Anything you want to try? They’ve added in Tamato berries to the spicy mix! I wouldn’t have that if you’re not a fan of burning your tongue off though, haha!” Hau’s cheerful voice cuts off his train of thought and he refocuses his attention on the menu, but not before he lets Silvally out of its ball.   
  
The Synthetic Pokemon gives him a curious look before settling on the platform besides Raichu, who greets it cordially. It’s somewhat amusing at how easily his Pokemon adapts to the situation, seeming to shrug off whatever questions it has to go along with the whims of its Trainer. Then again it might have caught sight of Hau and immediately understood that Gladion wasn’t brought here by choice.   
  
Gladion looks down at the menu and bites his lip, the words seeming to swim in front of his eyes. There’s so many different choices—different types of dough, fillings, and powders cover the page in colorful letters, and to be honest he doesn’t understand any of it. Why does this restaurant have to make ordering something so hard?   
  
Hau rests his chin in the palm of his hand and smiles at him understandingly.   
  
“Right, it’s your first time here, I forgot. It can be pretty overwhelming at first! Hmm...well, let’s start out with something easy. There’s five different types of overall flavors here: sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and dry. What’re you in the mood for?”   
  
Gladion gulps and pushes a stray lock of his hair behind his ear, blinking. He honestly isn’t sure what he wants—he honestly doesn’t even know what a malasada is! How can he make a decision based off of no knowledge? And he refuses to give up his pride to ask Hau what they consist of, so he chews on his lip and says nothing.   
  
He’s spared from any further embarrassment when Hau hums thoughtfully, a knowing grin tugging at the corner of his lips.   
  
“Alright, I’ve got it! I know just what you’d like,” he declares confidently, nodding to himself.   
  
Gladion can’t help but humor him a bit.   
  
“Oh really? What makes you say that?”   
  
The sunny Trainer bounces in his seat excitedly, his expression one of pure glee.   
  
“It’s my special skill, see! I’m pretty good at guessing which flavors people like the best. I actually got some tips from Mallow too, she’s a brilliant cook, you know? But don’t you worry, Gladion, I promise you’ll enjoy it!”   
  
_Geez, what a chatterbox,_ Gladion thinks to himself, but it’s fond, and he starts to wonder just when Hau’s kind personality began to rub off on him. And when did he start to become so content to be around him? He absolutely couldn’t stand him at first, that kid with the happy-go-lucky attitude who hadn’t gotten a taste of the real world, growing up with privilege and a normal family, all things Gladion didn’t have. But now as Hau whistles a cheerful tune and his Raichu chats up Silvally on the floor—even if the lights of the restaurant are too bright and the noise too loud—Gladion can’t say he hates being here with him, because that would be a lie.   
  
Their waitress zooms up to greet them, and Hau rattles off his order.   
  
“I’ll take two of these,” he says, pointing down at the menu. “But uh, make one with a banana cream filling, okay? And the other one, um...this flavor. Oh, and the bitter and sour flavors for our Pokemon.”   
  
“You got it, hon!” The waitress scribbles down whatever malasadas Hau had picked and walks off to put their orders in.   
  
“Alright! Soon your mouth will explode with the most delicious taste in all of Alola,” Hau grins, waggling his eyebrows. Gladion snorts and rolls his eyes.   
  
They sit in amiable silence for a while, interrupted only by the voices of other guests and the tacky theme music playing on the overhead radio. Gladion traces his finger on the tabletop, staring down at his own reflection on the shiny surface.   
  
“Hau?” He speaks up, hoping he can get the nerve to ask before it disappears. He may be confident when it comes to battling, but not so much with words.   
  
“Yeah? What’s up?”   
  
“Why...” Gladion watches his reflection again. He looks unsettled. “Why did you bring me here?”   
  
“Huh?” Hau looks confused, his eyebrows scrunching together. “I thought I told you, because you’ve never tried—”   
  
“No, that’s not what I mean.” He states, frowning. “I mean...why me? Why did you...go out of your way to...to...” He tries to articulate with hand motions, but it falls flat. He scowls in irritation.   
  
Hau laughs, the sound merry and amused.   
  
“Because, Gladion! Who else is going to show you all of the wonderful and amazing things you’ve missed out on these past couple years? I’m sure being a Team Skull grunt didn’t allow you much freedom, right?”   
  
Gladion stares at him in surprise, his mouth open in a slight “oh” of exclamation.   
  
“Besides, I can’t expect Moon to take the lead on this. I’m the native, after all! Sure, Moon’s definitely made her way around the region, but there’s no way she knows of as much as Alola’s history as I do since I grew up here!” He puffs out his chest proudly, preening in the afternoon sun.   
  
Gladion finally relaxes, slumping against the cushioning of the booth. “I didn’t think you were the studying type, Hau.”   
  
“Hey,” Hau whines, pretending to look offended. “I do my research...when it counts. The history behind the Tapus is really interesting, you know? All of that spiritual connection stuff...I think it’s super cool. That’s kinda why I have Raichu, since its a Psychic type. I want to learn more about spiritual energy and how Psychic type Pokemon fit into that! Tapu Lele is part Psychic type, did you know that? It’s not the guardian of Melemele, Tapu Koko is, but I’d love to meet Tapu Lele someday...”   
  
Hau continues to ramble on, his eyes sparkling in excitement as he describes his affinity for spiritual endeavors and connecting with the guardian deities. Gladion is a bit in awe. He never knew this side of Hau, the one fascinated with Alola’s legends and history. And all through one simple conversation...   
  
He can’t help but admire the passion Hau has for this subject, and hides a smile. He himself has always been interested in the Ultra Beasts and how Silvally fits in with them, but he’d been too afraid to start extensively researching about it because of seeing what it had done to his mother. But now, witnessing Hau, he thinks he can afford to begin looking through his dad’s old research notes. The Foundation is still working to discover the secrets of the Ultra Beasts, Ultra Wormholes and the other dimension...perhaps he can start lending his assistance to the cause, who knows. Anything to get him more information on Silvally, and why and how his father disappeared...it’s a start.   
  
“Oh, sorry,” Hau squeaks, covering his mouth. There’s a slight flush to his cheeks, and it’s strangely charming to see him acting bashful for once. “I just get way waaay too into this stuff. My old gramps and I can talk about the Tapus for hours, on and on and on...my bad.”   
  
Gladion waves it off, smiling tentatively at him. “It’s fine. I don’t blame you, Alola does have a fascinating history...with the Ultra Beasts’ involvement too,” he adds quietly, and Hau’s entire face seems to light up in joy at his agreement.   
  
“Order up! Here’s your malasadas, boys.”   
  
“ _Yes_! I’m starving!” Hau crows, licking his lips as his plate is placed in front of him.   
  
“Enjoy your meal,” the waitress says after sliding Gladion his lunch.   
  
He blinks down at a very appetizing plate full of fried dough, powdered sugar and brown filling. It smells heavenly and his stomach growls, reminding him he’d forgotten to eat that morning due to an intense training session with Silvally.   
  
“Go on, dig in! And tell me I’m absolutely _brilliant_ for choosing your favorite flavor,” Hau teases, his mouth already covered in yellow paste and flecks of sugar.   
  
Gladion takes a tentative bite and hums at the fantastic explosion of flavor on his tongue. The dough is soft but a bit crunchy at the edges, the sugar sweet, and the filling—   
  
“Dark chocolate,” he realizes, eyes wide. He turns to Hau, who is giving him the _smuggest_ grin he’s ever seen. “How the hell did you—?”   
  
“You totally have a sweet tooth, I could tell at first glance!” Hau pumps a fist in triumph. “And you like richer flavors. You grew up in a pretty lavish home, so you’re used to a finer taste. So I figured you’d like dark chocolate more than anything!”   
  
Gladion looks absolutely appalled, unable to discern just how exactly Hau had pieced that together. He never mentioned having a sweet tooth before; honestly it’s a bit of a secret. And how in Arceus’ name had Hau gathered he liked rich flavors?   
  
“You cheated,” he croaks, shaking his head. “There is _no_ way—you’ve been talking to Lillie. She must have told you!”   
  
“Hey! Lillie didn’t tell me anything! Don’t sell me short,” Hau whines, puffing out his cheeks. It doesn’t look as intimidating as he wants to, though, since his face is still covered in malasada. “I told you I’m a good judge of character! Now come on, tell me how brilliant I am. You said you would~”   
  
“I never said anything,” Gladion mumbles, munching on his malasada with a pout.   
  
“Gladion~”   
  
“No.”   
  
“Gladioooon!”   
  
“I said no!”   
  
“I’m paying for you and I brought you here to try this amazing dessert, Glaaaadiiiioooooon!”   
  
“Oh my god _fine_!” He bursts out laughing, kicking Hau with the side of his foot. “You’re brilliant, you’re amazing, whatever.”   
  
“Ooh, so I’m _amazing_ now, too? I’m flattered,” Hau chuckles. He calms down, tilting his head to the side to give the blonde a lopsided grin. “Hey, you should laugh more. You seem much happier when there’s a smile on your face.”   
  
Gladion nearly chokes on his malasada hearing that, his cheeks immediately heating up and turning a faint shade of pink. Hau doesn’t seem to notice, though, digging back into his meal with gusto. Gladion catches Silvally’s eye, who is also enjoying its meal with Raichu, and the chimera Pokemon gives him a knowing look. Gladion’s almost tempted to kick his partner, too.   
  
Even after they leave Gladion can’t get the image of Hau gushing over the Tapus out of his head, and it follows him home like a warm breeze in summer.

* * *

When he gets back to Aether Paradise, he swings by Wicke’s office, Silvally pacing at his side. She looks up from her computer when he enters, offering him a smile.  
  
“Welcome back, Gladion. I hope your outing went well,” she speaks kindly.   
  
“Yeah, it was...good,” he offers lamely. Silvally barks and wags its tail in a visual show of approval, having also liked its meal of malasadas.   
  
Gladion rubs it behind its ears, and then he looks up at Wicke with a serious expression.   
  
“Look, Wicke, I was wondering if you know where Dad’s research papers are...”   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gladion TOTALLY has a sweet tooth and you can fite me on that. Dark chocolate is his favorite, hands down. IT'S THE TRUTH. AND HAU KNOWS IT
> 
> And now we're getting a little bit of that plot development. Thank you, Hau, for inspiring our boy to start following his true passions...
> 
> Next chapter we hop back to Moon! Do you see where I'm going with this? Haha
> 
> Until next time, my dears!


	3. First Ride

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS YA'LL
> 
> I wanted to get the Christmas chapter posted but siiigh that one's a long way off. Like, chapter 9 is when I planned that to happen haha  
> So uhh. This isn't as nearly as great as a Christmas-themed chapter, but it'll do!!
> 
> Thanks for all your support and comments so far!! They mean a lot to me and they make me smile ^^  
> I hope you all have a wonderful holiday! Hopefully this chapter will lighten your spirits too. It's pretty silly. Gladion's an idiot lol
> 
> Well, enjoy!

The first time Gladion tries out a Ride Pokemon is at Moon’s insistence near the sunny shores of Akala.  
  
While working for Team Skull Gladion wasn’t really allowed the privilege of utilizing the Ride Pokemon—not that he needed to, anyway; he had the Team Skull high-speed boat to get him from island to island, and if it really boiled down to it he could use his own Pokemon to get around if need be. But he always wondered what it would be like to ride a Tauros or go sniffing out for treasure with Stoutland. Of course, when Moon discovered he’d never been able to go on adventures with a Ride Pokemon, she’d offered to take him during her off time from the League.  
  
Thankfully Moon doesn’t get challengers very often, since the League is brand new and people are still struggling to get past the brute force of the Elite Four. Gladion has tried his hand at defeating them several times, and they’ve proven to be very tough opponents—Professor Kukui _did_ choose them for a reason. Gladion suddenly understands just why Hau has had such a hard time trying to outshine his grandfather. Hala is definitely no pushover by any means, his Fighting type Pokemon proving just how strong they are on countless occasions.  
  
But he isn’t in any rush to conquer the League, seeing as his friend sits at the top, and while he enjoys battling her he isn’t confident that he could defeat her as he is now. He still needs to get stronger...  
  
“Gladion, hellooo?”  
  
A hand is waved in front of his face and he jumps, startled. Ah, right, he’s about to embark on a wild race with Tauros up Route 6 to Paniola Ranch, seeing as it’s one of the longest roads on Akala.  
  
Moon had suggested they try surfing with Sharpedo at first, but Gladion has never been good with water (read: he never learned how to swim and is terrified of drowning) so he politely declined her offer and asked if they could try something else. To be honest, this alternative isn’t much better.  
  
Right now they’re standing on the outer edges of Heahea City, and Gladion is eyeing the manager of the Ride Pokemon distrustfully. Tauros snorts and stomps its hooves on the pavement, wildly thrashing its head around, and Gladion swallows down a feeling of fear deep in his gut. Are these things even safe? Tauros are known for being violent, angry creatures when mistreated or riled up, and he definitely doesn’t want to be on the receiving end of that.  
  
Moon is gently stroking her Tauros’ forehead, and the Pokemon happily leans into her touch. It’s hers, one that she caught up at the ranch and had trained to become her own personal Ride Pokemon. Mimikyu is at its usual place on her shoulder, an almost permanent addition to her overall appearance. It chatters at Tauros, who waves its tails in agreement.  
  
She turns to him and smiles, adjusting the saddle on Tauros’ back as she does.  
  
“You ready for this, Gladion?”  
  
Gladion fiddles with his riding gear, which mostly consists of tight spandex and a lot of protective padding. It’s not the most comfortable or appropriate outfit, in his opinion—but maybe that’s just because he’s more used to his baggy hoodie and ripped jeans. He shrugs noncommitedly and side-eyes his Tauros, who seems to be glaring at him. Oh, great. The creature has it out for him, he’s sure.  
  
“Alright, looks like you’re all set!”  
  
The manager looks way too hyper for someone with his profession. Gladion nearly gags at seeing the sparkles in his eyes.  
  
“First thing’s first: you need to make a bond with Tauros in order for you to ride it!” He continues on excitedly, coming over to pat Tauros’ side. The Pokemon dips its head and grunts, lashing its tails. Gladion tries not to sweat more than he already is under the heat of Alola’s afternoon sun.  
  
“So, come on over!” When Gladion hesitates, the manager laughs jovially and skips over to give him a little shove, pushing him closer to Tauros. “Come on, come on! Don’t be shy!”  
  
Gladion nearly snaps at the man but realizes he’s still in Moon’s presence, who was nice enough to set this up for him. He steals a glance to see her smiling at him encouragingly, already aboard the saddle on her Tauros’ back. Something in him seems to calm at witnessing her. It sparks a determination to be as comfortable with Tauros as she appears to be, as well.  
  
“Alright,” he grumbles under his breath, finally meeting Tauros eye to eye.  
  
The Ride Pokemon snorts, apparently unimpressed with him. It scrapes its hooves against the pavement again as he approaches, a clear sign that it doesn’t want to cooperate.  
  
“Come on,” Gladion whines, warily edging back and forward as Tauros continues to glare at him.  
  
“You have to _prove_ yourself to Tauros!” The manager chirps.  
  
_Wow, you’re_ so _helpful_ , Gladion growls inwardly, rolling his eyes.  
  
“Listen,” he mutters to Tauros, stealing another look at Moon while he does. She’s giving Mimikyu scratches under its chin now, having tuned out of his predicament. He glances back at Tauros, and oh, if looks could kill.  
  
“I want to—I want to beat Moon in this race,” he states. “And I’ve never ridden one of you before, but I want to learn how. I can’t if you won’t _cooperate_ with me, though! So come on. Let’s show her that even if we’re inexperienced we can still win.”  
  
He waits for a solid minute in an intense staredown with the beast, but refuses to budge. If proving himself to Tauros means showing his willpower, he’ll do it, especially if it means he’ll get a chance to defeat Moon and gain the upper hand for once. She has endless gloating rights against him right now...  
  
Finally, after an eternity, Tauros lifts its head and moos its agreement, having accepted him as a rider. Gladion releases a sigh of relief before circling around to give it a friendly pat. Tauros playfully whacks him with its tails and he grins, preparing himself to scramble up onto the saddle and buckle himself in.  
  
“Okay, let’s get this show on the road!” Moon smiles and beckons him over, taking her position at the starting line.  
  
Gladion yelps as Tauros begins to move and nearly loses his balance—it’s different being up so high and on a moving Pokemon, after all. He’s ridden Silvally before, but never has it gone too fast due to him not having proper gear for it—and besides, it’s not really suited for racing, though it does like the occasional challenge. It isn’t really suited for riding, either, but when it comes to Gladion Silvally doesn’t mind all too much.  
  
“You look nervous,” Moon observes with a slight giggle as Gladion finally lines up beside her. She returns Mimikyu to its ball, that ever so familiar competitive gleam in her eye.  
  
“First time,” he croaks, fidgeting atop Tauros. Once this thing starts going fast will he be able to endure it?  
  
“Okay, the finish line is at the Pokemon Daycare at Paniola Ranch!” The manager tells them, holding up a multicolored flag.  
  
“On your marks...”  
  
Gladion takes a deep breath and settles down into a low crouch, hunched over the saddle.  
  
“Get set...”  
  
He tightens his hands around the bars, prepared to hold on for dear life when the whistle blows.  
  
“Go go go!”  
  
Both Tauros immediately charge off at high speed and Gladion screams, his body flinging backwards from the force. Moon is laughing from beside him, his hair is whipping all over his face and he feels like a ragdoll being tossed around.  
  
“Try holding yourself steady! And face the wind!” Moon calls out.  
  
Gladion is almost tempted to make a rude finger gesture at her and then decides that would probably be a bad idea since he’d have to let go of the reigns to do so. Instead he follows her advice, shifting his body so it’s not in as awkward of a position, and lifts his face towards the wind.  
  
Once he gets past the stinging in his eyes and the way his hair is flattened against his skull, Gladion exhales at the absolute rush he experiences. They’re going so very fast, zipping past Trainers and patches of tall grass where wild Pokemon lurk. Berry trees come in and out of his periphery, and the sky is a blinding bright blue. His heart is pounding and his lungs are burning but he feels good, better than he has in a while, and he suddenly understands why people like riding Tauros so much—it’s absolutely exhilarating.  
  
He realizes with a jolt that Moon has pulled ahead of him. Feeling his own competitive side breach the surface, he leans down and calls to Tauros, “What’s say we zip past those Slowpokes, huh?”  
  
Tauros lets out a hearty moo and speeds up. Gladion throws back his head and howls in joy, feeling the adrenaline pump through his veins.  
  
“Someone’s confident!” Moon laughs loudly over the wind, and her voice is like music to his ears. He smiles and pushes further, charging ahead of Moon and leaving trails of dust in their wake.  
  
And, suddenly, things take a plunge.  
  
Out of nowhere a child comes toddling across the path ahead of them, and Gladion realizes too late that there’s no way he can begin to slow down before hitting them. Moon cries out from behind him and he pulls harshly on the bars, leading Tauros away from the child and into the bushes, shouting, “ _Look out_!”  
  
Tauros skids to a stop and Gladion goes flying off of its saddle, having unbuckled himself halfway through. He’s in the air for several moments before landing with a tremendous _crash_ into the tall grass.  
  
“ _Gladion_!” Moon shrieks, tugging harshly on her Tauros’ reigns before leaping off of it and racing to his side.  
  
“Ugh,” he groans. Everything feels sore and achy now, as if he’d just been put through an intense training regimen that tired out all of his muscles.  
  
“ _Gladion_! Gladion, are you okay?!” Moon exclaims, throwing herself down beside him in the grass.  
  
“Tauros,” he mumbles, wincing at the bright sunlight. Now if only the world would stop spinning for a second...  
  
“What?”  
  
“Is Tauros okay?” He asks, narrowing his eyes as Moon seems to duplicate in front of him, his vision swimming.  
  
Moon glances over her shoulder very quickly before nodding and leaning down to help him up. He’s covered in scratches from head to toe and black spots dance across his vision, but he can still feel the thrill of racing that makes his fingertips tingle.  
  
“Are _you_ alright, though?! That was so dangerous, Gladion!”  
  
She brushes his bangs out of his eyes, her touch gentle and soft, and he almost melts into her embrace before realizing that probably wouldn’t be smart.  
  
“I’m fine,” he says after a moment, managing to shake it off. His scratches sting, but otherwise he feels decent.  
  
Moon shakes her head furiously back and forth, her grip tight on his shoulders. She withdraws a Pokeball out of her pocket, and what emerges is the proud yet mysterious form of her Decidueye, who hoots concernedly at his state.  
  
“Go get the manager, please,” Moon asks it, and it unfolds its wings and prepares to take off. “And get him to bring a first aid kit!”  
  
Decidueye makes an affirming squawk and launches into the air, soaring out of sight.  
  
“What were you _thinking_ , you moron?! Why did you unbuckle yourself?!” Moon shouts, almost shaking him.  
  
Gladion blinks at her, noticing that she seems angry. He doesn’t think he’s ever seen her this aggravated before now, though Lillie mentioned she looked murderous when they were facing Lusamine in the Ultra Space. He almost wishes he could have seen that.  
  
“If I hadn’t I would have snapped my spine from the blowback,” he responds slowly. It’s true; if he hadn’t let himself be thrown off he probably would have been hurt more badly from Tauros’ very abrupt stop. He could have collided heads with the beast or, like he said, broken his back from being tossed while still strapped in.  
  
“You could have snapped your spine with that landing, _Arceus_!” Moon grits out, running her fingers through her hair in frustration.  
  
Gladion inches away from her, avoiding her gaze. Guilt prickles at his spine.  
  
“Sorry...”  
  
The champion seems to soften at this, the tension in her shoulders fading as she relaxes.  
  
“You’re lucky you were wearing that protective riding gear otherwise your injuries would be a lot worse,” Moon points out, reaching over to swipe at a smudge of dirt on his shoulder. He flushes and gulps, looking away.  
  
“And thank you. For protecting that child.”  
  
The blonde laughs dryly at this. “What, did you honestly think I’d hit them?”  
  
Moon giggles at this too, her eyes glimmering. “I don’t know, maybe.”  
  
He whips around and gapes at her, dumbfounded. “Wh—hey!”  
  
Merry laughter bursts out of her lips as he scowls at her. Even so he feels as light as air, and watching her act so joyful makes him feel warm.  
  
“Ouch,” he hisses, suddenly cringing up when his leg begins to burn, and notices that there’s a sizable gash there from landing so hard and sliding a couple feet. A little blood seeps out of the wound, and it stings like hell. While spandex is durable in most cases, it can tear with enough force, leaving several small rips in his suit.  
  
“That looks bad,” Moon bites her lip worriedly, placing her hand on his thigh to steady him. He almost jumps from her touch, still not used to being so close to other people, and has to force himself to calm down.  
  
“Is everything okay?!”  
  
The manager finally appears, racing down the dirt road with a first aid kit swinging from his hand.  
  
_At least he’s useful for something,_ Gladion thinks sarcastically.  
  
Decidueye swoops down from the air and lands next to Moon, who gives it a grateful scratch and returns it to its Pokeball.  
  
“Oh my, oh dear! I didn’t expect—I am so sorry, sir! To think we’d have an injury—“  
  
Gladion opens his mouth to respond, looking a bit awkward as he does, but Moon beats him to it.  
  
“It’s okay. Why don’t you lead Tauros back and I’ll take care of Gladion? I know first aid really well, I promise.”  
  
The manager looks a bit taken aback by this, but after seeing the honest and determined expression on Moon’s face he nods his consent and walks away to take Tauros. Gladion almost mourns the loss of the great bull he’d somehow managed to bond with, but figures he might meet it again eventually.  
  
“This is gonna sting.” Moon tells him as she opens the first aid kit, already putting together water, soap and cotton balls to clean him up.  
  
Gladion nods and braces himself as Moon sets to work, hissing in through his teeth as she dabs away at the wound on his leg. He’s not used to being treated like this; in most cases he has to handle all of the injuries he receives by himself. It’s strange having somebody else tend to him, and the way Moon is being so heartbreakingly gentle makes his stomach feel weird, but not in a bad way.  
  
She patches him up with ease, having had her fair share of accidents herself on her journey, and before long he’s no longer covered in scratches but in bandages instead. He’s sure he looks stupid in a torn riding suit and bandaids all over his arms and legs, but there isn’t much he can do about it.  
  
“There...all done,” Moon finally says, pulling away to give him some space.  
  
For the first time in several minutes he feels like he can breathe again; having Moon in such close proximity was unnerving. Not that he minds her presence, of course not—it’s just unsettling to have somebody in his personal space after being alone for so long. He could thank his mother for that, he supposes. She used to love coddling him as a child, but now...  
  
“Well, I think we’re done with Tauros riding for a while,” Moon says amusedly, offering a hand out to him. He hesitates for a split second before taking it, and she easily pulls him to his feet. He stumbles a bit in the grass, not expecting her grip to be so strong. “How about we try something else?”  
  
Gladion gives her an incredulous look. “You still want to go riding after that?”  
  
She laughs again, beaming.  
  
“Don’t worry. I have something better and less dangerous planned this time, promise.”  
  
And for some reason Gladion trusts her, unable to find an argument against it.  
  
Moon pulls her pager out of her pocket and holds it up in the air. It makes a strange ringing sound, the sun shining off of its glossy surface. They wait in silence for several moments before a ferocious roar echoes in the sky. Gladion gapes as a large orange lizard appears on the horizon, picking up speed as it approaches them.  
  
“You want me...to ride on _that_?” He squeaks.  
  
Charizard lands gracefully with a powerful flap of its wings, and Moon rubs its snout affectionately.  
  
“Don’t be silly. We’re riding it together!” She chirps, already moving to climb up onto its saddle. “All you have to do is sit behind me and hold on. I’ll do the flying.”  
  
“Uh...” He bites down on his lip, unsure. He’s never really gone flying before, and how could he be positive that they wouldn’t have another accident and this time he’d be falling from the sky instead of Tauros’ back? Not to mention the idea of flying up so high makes him a bit nauseous.  
  
“It’s really fun, trust me! Have I ever lead you wrong before?” The Alola Champion calls out teasingly.  
  
Gladion shakes his head and glares at her half-heartedly, knowing that she’s just trying to bait him into coming with her. It’s an uphill battle, one that he can’t win, and he always gives in to her wishes in the end, so why fight it?  
  
With a resigned sigh, the blonde half staggers over to where Charizard is blowing steam out of its nostrils, limping slightly from his injury. Moon cheers triumphantly before helping him up onto the saddle, which functions almost the same as Tauros’.  
  
He slides into place behind her, not realizing the space between them is so small. It’s a little awkward, to be honest, and he doesn’t want to accidentally upset her by pushing boundaries far beyond where they should go. He shifts from side to side, trying to find a good place to seat himself comfortably.  
  
Moon rolls her eyes with fondness before turning around to strap him in properly and pull him closer with a forceful tug. Gladion refuses to acknowledge the very unmanly squeak that leaps out of his throat, now being pressed right into her backside.  
  
“You’re gonna want to hold on to me,” the dark-haired girl tells him. He hesitates, not really sure where to put his hands. Moon almost looks like she wants to slap him.  
  
“Geez, don’t be such a wuss! You’re never usually this jumpy or flighty. My hips, Gladion, hold on to my hips. I won’t bite, I promise,” she exclaims playfully, and he realizes she’s right.  
  
What does he have to be afraid of? This is Moon, somebody he’s traveled with and grown close to, whether he expected to or not. Holding on to her for a ride shouldn’t be intimidating in the least. But perhaps it’s the fact that she’s one of the very few (more like two) friends he has that makes him more cautious around her, not wanting to hurt her feelings or chase her away. Before they became closer, he couldn’t care less whether or not his words and actions upset her. But now...  
  
“Alright, here we go!”  
  
Charizard huffs impatiently and begins to lift off, and Gladion, without any other choice, begrudgingly holds onto his friend’s hips as they rise into the sky.  
  
Higher, higher, higher they climb, and the people on the ground shrink in size until they look like tiny ants. Gladion grips Moon tighter, suddenly hit with dizziness, and squeezes his eyes shut. This isn’t anything like riding Tauros; the wind is whipping haphazardly and without any proper direction, not to mention they’re getting to the point where they’re hundreds if not thousands of feet in the air. That fact makes him even more light-headed.  
  
“Open your eyes, Gladion,” Moon nudges him with her elbow. She sounds happy, or at least amused.  
  
“No _way_ ,” he hisses, shaking his head stubbornly. Risk passing out and forever shaming himself after the already-shameful performance from earlier? No chance in hell!  
  
Charizard roars and suddenly shoots forward, and the blonde cries out in absolute terror. Instinctively he locks his arms around Moon’s waist and buries his nose into the middle of her back, his forehead pressing against her neck. He can feel her laughter, rumbling throughout her entire chest, vibrating against his cheek. She’s warm, warmer than anything.  
  
He tells himself then, if Moon does this everyday without problem, then he can, too. He's done way crazier things than this before, anyway!  
  
Slowly but surely he starts to open his eyes, and the sight before him makes him gasp.  
  
They’re flying through an endless sea of azure, the clouds soaring past their heads. Below them the islands are little dots in the distance, and the only things that exist are the sea and the sky, both so very blue.  
  
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Moon asks him, patting his leg. “This might be a little bit too high for your first time, but Charizard likes to test the limits.”  
  
The orange dragon-like Pokemon preens at this, shooting out a small fireball which evaporates in the wind.  
  
“Yeah,” is all he manages to say, squeezing her tighter. He’s still scared to death but, just like Tauros, the thrill is exhilarating. And he doubts he’s ever seen anything more gorgeous than the view he’s experiencing right now.  
  
“We’re going to go a little faster. You ready?”  
  
Gladion grins and settles his chin on her shoulder, nodding. His heart is beating like a Mothim, rapid and fluttering. “Bring it!”  
  
“Okay, here goes! Charizard, let’s speed things up a little!”  
  
They shoot off like a rocket, and Gladion howls with laughter, as does Moon. They spend the rest of the day airborne, and by the end of it he still feels like he’s walking on air. And, much to its delight, he finds he likes riding Charizard a lot more than riding Tauros.  
  
Needless to say, whatever phobia of heights he might have had before, Moon’s completely cured them now. And he can officially announce he’s gotten to take part in the full Ride Pokemon experience.  
  
When he gets home, he finds Silvally awaiting him in the conservation area, and gushes happily about the amazing but equally dangerous things he’d done that day.  
  
Wicke passes him on the platform and hides a smile, knowing that she’ll never forget the look of warmth and pure joy on his face for a long time to come. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To sum it up: Gladion overcomes his timidity towards Ride Pokemon and becomes even more SMITTEN  
> Wicke's sort of become Gladion's second mom in this too lol, I've ended the last two chapters with her being there
> 
> I haven't finished writing the fourth chapter yet so. We'll see how that goes~ My muse has slowly been dragged to other things but I don't want to lose attention on this story aaaaa
> 
> Thank you for reading!! Until next time~


End file.
